Author: Mike Rea Page 11
Damien Jurado - And Now That I'm In your Shadow
Damien JuradoAnd Now That I'm In your ShadowAlbum ReviewDamien Jurado has quietly built up a great body of critically-acclaimed work, but his Nick Drake-like gentle singer-songwriter core has never brought him anywhere near the charts....
Review posted on 16th October 2006
Snowden - Anti-Anti
SnowdenAnti-AntiAlbum ReviewInto the soundscape of reverb-heavy shoegazing rock ride Snowden, with just enough of a fresh twist to make it interesting. What began as a solo bedroom project at college quickly snowballed for Jordan Jeffares...
Review posted on 10th October 2006
The Pernice Brothers - Live A Little
The Pernice BrothersLive A LittleAlbum ReviewIt is hard to understand what has overcome the perfect songsmithery of Joe Pernice, a writer who has been capable of something that sounds a lot like song perfection on...
Review posted on 10th October 2006
Sparklehorse - Dreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A Mountain
SparklehorseDreamt For Light Years In The Belly Of A MountainAlbum ReviewFour years in the making, disrupted by battles with drugs, and stitched together with collaborators as diverse as Danger Mouse, Tom Waits and Joan Wasser,...
Review posted on 4th October 2006
The Lemonheads - The Lemonheads
The LemonheadsThe LemonheadsAlbum ReviewIt's a sad truth that, by the time The Lemonheads made it huge in the 90s (not coincidentally about the same time that Nirvana were making it), they were already starting a...
Review posted on 2nd October 2006
Yo La Tengo - I'm Not Afraid Of You And I'll Beat Your Ass
Yo La TengoI'm Not Afraid Of You And I'll Beat Your AssAlbum ReviewThis is Yo La Tengo's 10th album, the product of 20 years of indie rock that has headed all over the shop -...
Review posted on 2nd October 2006
M. Ward - Post War
M. WardPost WarAlbum ReviewPost War is the fifth album from singer-songwriter and (vastly underrated) guitarist Matt Ward, and the first to feature a full backing band. Recorded and produced in its entirety in an attic...
Review posted on 26th September 2006
A.J. Croce - Cantos
A.J. CroceCantosAlbum ReviewSomething of a singer-songwriter's singer-songwriter, and a remarkably versatile musician, A.J. Croce has appeared on stage with artists as stellar as Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Santana, Dave Matthews, Ben Harper, Rod Stewart, B.B....
Review posted on 26th September 2006
OPM - California Poppy
OPMCalifornia PoppyAlbum ReviewOPM (from 'opium' - geddit?) had a minor hit in the UK with Heaven is a Halfpipe; California Poppy is their third album. Purportedly. It seems an awful lot like their first two...
Review posted on 26th September 2006
Maria McKee - Acoustic Tour 2006
Maria McKeeAcoustic Tour 2006Album ReviewMaria McKee's career has now spanned some 20 years, beginning huge with Lone Justice, where her 'rock diva with the voice from heaven' charisma played so well, to single success with...
Review posted on 18th September 2006
The Black Keys - Magic Potion
The Black KeysMagic PotionAlbum ReviewOne man and his guitar, and a drummer with the stage presence and attack of Animal from the Muppets, The Black Keys have cool (and an analogue sound) that The White...
Review posted on 18th September 2006
Gov't Mule - High and Mighty
Gov't MuleHigh and MightyAlbum ReviewBack in the day, when bands like Free and Mountain ruled the earth, men and boys enjoyed a meaty, muscular rock that did without frills or any other niceties. Warren Haynes'...
Review posted on 18th September 2006
Bob Dylan - Modern Times
Bob DylanModern TimesAlbum ReviewDylan's first album since 2001's Love and Theft, Modern Times has been widely awaited, but mainly by Dylan fans. Love and Theft was held to be a pretty good Dylan album, with...
Review posted on 11th September 2006
Lou Rhodes - Beloved One
Lou RhodesBeloved OneAlbum ReviewOne of the 'others' on this year's Mercury Music list, Lou Rhodes represented the folky end of the spectrum. And she represented it beautifully - this is a gorgeous little album. Louise...
Review posted on 11th September 2006
The Essex Green - Cannibal Sea
The Essex GreenCannibal SeaAlbum ReviewA bit of a mixed bag this. From some extraordinarily catchy pop on Don't Know Why (You Stay) to bland country folk pop elsewhere, it isn't exactly consistent. A Sasha Bell...
Review posted on 4th September 2006
Tapes n Tapes - The Loon
Tapes n TapesThe LoonAlbum ReviewTapes n Tapes' debut album comes so heavily laden with hype that it is easy to form an opinion prior to actually hearing it. The indie quartet from Minneapolis were the...
Review posted on 4th September 2006
Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend: Legacy Edition
Matthew SweetGirlfriend: Legacy EditionAlbum ReviewBack in 1991, Matthew Sweet created the perfect pop rock album, a wonderful wrap of the best sounds that Big Star, The Byrds, Neil Young and Cheap Trick had to offer....
Review posted on 4th September 2006
Eric Bachmann - To The Races
Eric BachmannTo The RacesAlbum ReviewEric Bachmann has some background - as lead singer and guitarist of legendary indie rock band Archers of Loaf, which split in 1998, he then went onto a variety of solo...
Review posted on 29th August 2006
Micah P Hinson - Micah P Hinson and the Opera Circuit
Micah P HinsonMicah P Hinson and the Opera CircuitAlbum ReviewIf there aren't enough new Tom Waits albums released for you in any one year, Micah P Hinson has alleviated that problem. 2004's Gospel of Progress...
Review posted on 29th August 2006
Viva Voce - Get Yr Blood Sucked Out
Viva VoceGet Yr Blood Sucked OutAlbum ReviewMale-female duos seem to be getting more popular, and that's no bad thing, if Viva Voce (which means 'word of mouth') are anything to go by. From Muscle Shoals,...
Review posted on 29th August 2006
The Young Knives - Voices of Animals and Men
The Young KnivesVoices of Animals and MenAlbum ReviewWhat did Franz Ferdinand start? Every new British band now seems to need to reference them (and Gang of Four with a knowing nod), behind their spiky guitars...
Review posted on 22nd August 2006
Head Automatica - Popaganda
Head AutomaticaPopagandaAlbum ReviewHead Automatica's second album sees Daryl Palumbo ditch the electronica of the first and head straight into 80s pop, as seen by Elvis Costello and the Attractions. This great idea clearly ran out...
Review posted on 22nd August 2006
Less Than Jake - In With The Out Crowd
Less Than JakeIn With The Out CrowdAlbum ReviewIt is easy to remain unconvinced by the maturing of the post-punk bands - Blink 182 sunk without trace, for example, although Green Day did make their best...
Review posted on 22nd August 2006
Spearhead - Michael Franti and Spearhead, Yell Fire!
Michael Franti and SpearheadYell Fire!Album ReviewMichael Franti has always stood head and feet above other hip hop artists in the fierce intelligence he has applied to his lyrics. Since his early years with the Disposable...
Review posted on 14th August 2006
The Drams - Jubilee Dive
The DramsJubilee DiveAlbum ReviewSomewhere, in that honest space where bands like the Gin Blossoms used to crank out straight rock built upon the best of melodies, there are musicians still making great rock and roll....
Review posted on 14th August 2006
The Long Winters - Putting the Days To Bed
The Long WintersPutting the Days To BedAlbum ReviewThe Long Winters' line up has changed (again) for this third album, but main man John Roderick's wide-ranging intelligent approach to lyrics, verses and choruses has, if anything,...
Review posted on 14th August 2006
Epo-555 - Mafia
Epo-555MafiaAlbum ReviewEpo-555's previous album, Dexter Fox, was one of 2004's best - an infectiously catchy disc that recalled the best of the Dandy Warhols and New Order. The band hail from Denmark, which is The...
Review posted on 7th August 2006
Starlight Drive - Beautiful Accidents
Starlight DriveBeautiful Accidents Album ReviewIt's all very well for people to enjoy sitting in their bedrooms strumming guitars and keeping themselves happy, but occasionally they manage to convince themselves that someone else should be listening...
Review posted on 7th August 2006
Hummingbiird - Hummingbiird
HummingbiirdHummingbiirdAlbum ReviewNot many bands self title their fourth album, but for Chicago's Hummingbiird, this is something of a new debut. Formed in 1999 (and formerly called Pedal Steel Transmission), the band set out to bridge...
Review posted on 7th August 2006
Tom Petty - Highway Companion
Tom PettyHighway CompanionAlbum ReviewWhile the young Tom Petty is remembered for some remarkable singles, the truth is that the albums were rarely consistent. Until, that is, Jeff Lynne's production moved in - Full Moon Fever...
Review posted on 31st July 2006
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Wiltshire singer-songwriter Luke De Sciscio, formally known as Folk Boy, is set to release is latest album - 'The Banquet' via AntiFragile Music on...
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Dekker talks to us about writing with Jose Gonzales, making headway in the U.S and the difficulties associated with wearing a hat! [EXCLUSIVE]
Ahead of the imminent release of his second solo album - Dekker, aka Brookln Dekker, took time out to let us know about the musical project he...
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